New Lease
by One Lucky Unicorn
Summary: Resurrected by Primus and sent to another world, Prowl discovers adventure and intrigue there - and possibly even love?
1. Prowl Gets A Life

**New Lease**

By One Lucky Unicorn

**Author's notes:** I'm a relative latecomer to the _Transformers Animated_ series and the "Prowl died? NOOO!" bandwagon, lol. Initially, New Lease was going to be an alternate universe story that was entirely separate from my main batch of Extinctioners stories, but I wound up liking the concept so much that I decided to officially make it part of my fanon-verse. A word of warning to canon purists - this story will deviate from some of the events that occur (or will eventually occur) in the Extinctioners comics, so it still is an AU.

**CHAPTER ONE: PROWL GETS A LIFE**

Primus, Creator of the Transformer race, stood on a platform looking down at the Well of AllSparks, the resting place for the spirits, or sparks, of deceased Transformers. The spirits there couldn't see him unless he made his presence known, which he would often do to comfort the departed and explain where they were, if the duty wasn't delegated to a trusted Cybertronian who'd been at the Well for a long time.

The expression on Primus' face plate was a pensive one. While on one hand he would always be happy to welcome his children home, where there was no suffering, pain, or war, on the other, it saddened him to know they wouldn't see their loved ones again until they themselves passed on.

Out of the blue, a familiar energy signature brought Primus out of his thoughts. He was glad for the interruption though, and without turning around pleasantly rumbled a greeting to the newcomer behind him. "Hello, starchild."

A scarlet and yellow humanoid bird had appeared behind him, and came to momentarily hover by his head. Starchild was just one of several names for her kind, the nearly immortal elemental creatures known as phoenicians. While capable of traversing whole universes, when it came to making their homes, phoenicians tended to stick to one particular galaxy that would also become their protectorate. This realm was not one of their native ones, so Primus was pleasantly surprised to see this particular phoenix again. She was different from others of her kind, and was frankly a breath of fresh air to be around. From their talks in the past, Primus knew that the phoenician's protectorate was much like the ones he watched over (for in the multiverse, there were as many dimensions as there were stars in the cosmos). While most of the inhabitants just wanted to live in peace and were more advanced than a number of other races in the multiverse were, strife and warfare continued to be common issues among them.

"Never could fool you, huh Primus? By the way, may I just say that you still don't look a day over a century?" Came the bubbly response as Phenix, as the black-clad bird was called, gracefully touched down on Primus' immense right shoulder plate.

"The key is to looking young is thinking young." Primus replied with a smile, turning his head slightly so that he could better see his guest. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, just needed a break from work was all. I wondered what my favorite Creator-God was up to and decided to drop by to visit." Affectionately, Phenix patted his shoulder. "I hope I'm not inconveniencing you."

"Not at all. I was just doing some thinking. I trust you are well?"

"I've got no complaints. We've had a few scrapes with Mahn's allies, but nothing major yet."

The two of them conversed together for awhile before Phenix turned her full focus on the Well, regarding the scene inside with interest. Primus and his children were an endless source of fascination for her - robots who could feel and think like beings of flesh and blood were definitely something that one didn't see where she came from. Something suddenly caught her attention, and she sat up a straighter. "Who's that?"

His optics following where Phenix was pointing, Primus saw a lithely built mech whose paintjob was predominantly black and gold. He was wandering around as though he were either lost or searching for something or someone. Like the rest of the shades, he appeared transparent to both Primus and Phenix's vision, barely distinguishable from the background. A soft, sad sigh escaped Primus as he watched the figure. "He is a recent arrival, and a young one too, as you can see. He knowingly sacrificed himself in order to save the lives of thousands."

Phenix slowly shook her feathery head, clicking her tongue softly. Her telempathic powers allowed her to sense the confusion and sadness that emanated from the spirit. No doubt he was missing his friends and family unit just then. At least he'd performed a heroic act before his death. "It's always a tragedy when the lights of the young are extinguished before their time. What happened, if it's alright to ask?"

"Decepticons attacked a large city on an alien world, Earth – a different Earth from the one you know of, of course. Some Autobots who were stationed there tried to recover pieces of the AllSpark to stop them, but could not gather enough. So that mech gave up his own spark in order to complete it, and saved not just his comrades, but the entire city."

Primus' tale left her silent. That couldn't have been an easy decision for the young Autobot to have made. It spoke volumes about the nature of his character. "Someone with that kind of bravery would be a worthy addition to my team." Phenix quietly said. "They're a good bunch, and we've weathered everything that's been thrown at us so far, but we can still use all the help we can get."

"Yes, from what you have told me I agree that he would indeed be of some significant use to you and your allies. Suppose I gave him to you?"

Phenix's curved beak fell open before quirking into a grin as brilliant as the sun that empowered her. "Really?"

"We both agree that the young deserve a chance to live out their lives, correct? Well, I have a feeling that this particular bot was meant for more."

"Oh, thank you!" Phenix threw her arms as far as they could reach around Primus' helm, but being only the size of a tall human female, that wasn't very far. "You won't regret this!"

"I'm sure I won't." Charmed by the phoenix, Primus chuckled before returning his attention to the spirit. He could give the mech the good news in person himself, but he had someone else in mind for the job instead – someone who the dead Autobot would recognize…

* * *

Death wasn't turning out to be at all like what Prowl expected.

The Well of AllSparks _was_ supposed to be idyllic and peaceful. That was what he'd been told all his life anyways. There was certainly nothing restful about this place. Prowl believed he had done the right thing in sacrificing himself to save Detroit from the Decepticon's cloned forces. He may not have led a perfect life, but didn't think he deserved to be stuck _here_… where ever 'here' was.

Prowl had no idea how long he'd been there. Time was meaningless in this haunted place. He couldn't see the ground at his pedes. A heavy white blanket of fog kept everything covered. The rest of his surroundings were a muted violet color that gradually transitioned into a faint gray towards the horizon. Occasionally, the cyberninja would hear what sounded like faint whispers, but each time he tried following the sounds to find their source, they would abruptly cease. He would try calling out to see if anyone else was there, but no response ever came. Once he was sure he saw something, a bright red and yellow creature like some sort of a bird, briefly standing out like a flame amidst the darkness.

Just when Prowl was ready to give up any hope of ever finding a way out, there was a gentle touch at his elbow. In an instant he whirled around, servos raised as he prepared to defend himself. Seeing who was standing there behind him, his optics widened behind his bright blue visor, and he immediately dropped his aggressive stance. "Master Yoketron!"

Looking just as calm and unflappable as he had been in life, the much older mech gazed back at Prowl. "Greetings, my student."

"Are we in the Well of AllSparks?" _'If Master Yoketron is here, then perhaps being trapped here won't be so bad.'_ Prowl hopefully thought.

"No. It is the in-between place, what some call 'purgatory'. You performed a most noble act on Earth, giving up your spark to save your friends and the organics. You have surpassed even my expectations, and I am very proud to have had you as my student. But it is not your time yet. There is somewhere else where you are needed."

Prowl silently digested what he'd just heard. While no longer haunted by the belief that he had failed Yoketron, his spark still leapt for joy at hearing Yoketron himself declare he was proud of him. He was also relieved to learn that this place wasn't the Well of AllSparks, but where was he going now? And who needed him? He eyed Yoketron quizzically. "Somewhere else?"

"Yes. That is why Primus sent you here from the Well of AllSparks." Yoketron simply answered.

It was then that Prowl realized the in-between place was changing. The thick fog and darkness were fading, being driven off by a bright white light that was steadily growing in strength. His gaze happened to shift down to his servos and then his arms. To his surprise, they were looked strangely pale and ghostly in the dazzling light, as did the rest of his form. Even Yoketron was starting to fade away, much to his dismay.

Before white nothingness engulfed his vision and his processor went offline as though he was about to go into recharge, Prowl saw Yoketron smile enigmatically at him.

"I will see you again. But not yet... not yet."

* * *

The next thing Prowl became aware of as he began coming out of recharge was warm air washing over him. His audio receptors relayed noises to him from his environment – buzzing, chirping. It sounded very much like the sounds Earth animals, namely insects, made. Was he back on Earth?

He hadn't been and still wasn't exactly sure what all his resurrection would entail – whether or not he'd still be able to remember his previous life, if he was going to be rebuilt in an entirely new body and have to start life all over again as a protoform. But no, he could still remember being Yoketron's student, winding up in Detroit with Optimus Prime, Ratchet, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead, meeting Sari, and everything else. Something from his time in purgatory lingered in his memory banks – a red and yellow figure. It was very vague though, and he couldn't recall anything further about it.

Grateful to have retained his memories, Prowl turned his optics online to see where he was. At first he was assaulted by blinding light, but as his optics gradually adjusted to it, the light became tolerable and his sight cleared. He must have been lying on his back, because all he could see was the sky, pristine blue and cloudless. Curious, his stabilizers should've kicked in to inform him of his awkward position.

The prospect of being back on his adopted home world excited Prowl. He took a deep breath, relishing the scent of the fresh air. It was the same mixture of earth, dampness, and purity that Earth forests usually had. Somehow, the air smelled even sweeter now.

Wait. Was he actually _breathing_? How was that even possible? Transformers didn't need to breath! Confused, Prowl made to stand, then stopped. Something about his body's center of gravity felt… off. _'Perhaps I've grown so used to being dead that I need to get acclimated to being alive again.'_

Shaking his head slightly at the thought, Prowl started to push himself to his pedes again, and caught sight of his left servo. Normally that wouldn't have been any cause for alarm, save that he now had a hand covered in black fur instead. And his arms – they were still lean like before, but now they were furry, just like his hands.

'_Why – what _is _this?...'_

The normally stoic Autobot's spark thumped wildly in his chest as he looked himself over, trying to make sense of what had happened to him. Thick, glossy black fur now covered his long, slim form. An inverted wedge-shaped section of golden-yellow fur marked much of his upper chest and extended beneath his upper arms. A jagged streak of black ran across his chest, breaking the golden-yellow triangle in half.

Catching a glimpse of something behind him, Prowl turned his head to try and see what it could be. It was a little difficult to make out exactly what the black object was, so he twisted around for a better look. The object reappeared again, and he was quick to reach out and snag it. He was amazed to find that in his grip it was silky and soft to the touch, being covered in the same fur as the rest of his body. He gave the object a slight tug. There was an answering pain in his aft. Realization swiftly set in. He was holding what humans called a tail, an appendage that a number of (non-human) organics possessed.

He had a tail.

A billion questions surged through his processor. Wondering what else he would discover, Prowl tentatively reached a hand up to his head. There were ears there, actual _ears_, on each side of his head. They were triangular in shape, slightly rounded at the tip, and covered in fine fur that was just slightly thinner than the rest of his coat was. Carefully he felt the rest of his face. Primus, a pointed muzzle was jutting out of his face plate! There were numerous long whiskers growing out on both sides, and a warm, furless nose (if he had to guess at what it was, since he couldn't really see it) at the very end.

Feeling disorientated, Prowl sat back down in the grass, only to hastily adjust his position when he realized he was sitting on his tail. He'd been turned into an animal, or at least some type of half-animal being. He didn't understand why he had been returned in this form. While he did possess more of a familiarity with assorted animal species then his colleagues, he couldn't tell exactly what sort of animal he was now. He did recognize that he was some sort of carnivore, as he saw that he sported sharp white claws on the ends of his fingertips and toes, and, using his tongue (another peculiar feature), could feel equally sharp, curving teeth lining his jaws. Great. The idea of having to consume other animals for fuel was _so_ unappealing. He supposed the claws were rather fascinating little tools though. Flexing his hands over and over, he watched as they extended outwards before partially retracting again.

'_Enough of that.'_ Prowl thought, attempting to force himself out of his daze. With a sigh, he assessed his situation. He was in the middle of a clearing. Tall trees loomed over him on all sides. He had nothing – no throwing disks, no jetpack, nothing. He could defend himself without those things of course, but he could also admit that he might have some problems if he happened to run into a Decepticon or some other formidable opponent.

Taking deep breaths seemed to be helping with the dizziness. The logical thing to do next would be to find out exactly where he was. When Prowl felt well enough to walk, he clumsily rose to his feet. Looking down, he saw that he was standing on his toes, with the rest of his paw-like feet raised off the ground. There were golden-yellow markings lining the lower halves of his… paws? His feet? Aside from the fur and feet though, his body structure was still basically humanoid.

Holding his arms out for balance, Prowl took his first awkward steps in his new form. He focused closely on his footing, hoping not to fall flat on his face. He staggered dangerously several times before finding himself down on the ground again. For someone so used to having impeccable balance, this experience really was frustrating. It was no wonder his balance was thrown off – the center of balance for a human-sized organic body was entirely different then a robotic one. Sighing, he stood and had another go at walking. While his legs looked and moved differently from before, walking was still the same basic process: lift one leg, put it down in front of the other one, repeat.

It took Prowl ten attempts before he felt confident that he had the hang of walking down. While he brushed grass off his fur, he scrutinized his surroundings, but recognized nothing. Picking a direction at random, he set off. Eventually, he came across a trail and decided to follow it, hoping to locate some more signs of civilization that might give him a clue to his whereabouts. While the forest looked bucolic and inviting, Prowl's desire to find the others took precedence over everything else. The lonely, dreary atmosphere of Purgatory had been oppressive for even someone like him. He wanted to see Optimus, Sari, Bulkhead, Jazz, Ratchet, and everyone else. Primus, he even missed Bumblebee and his incessant prattling. Knowing Bumblebee, he'd have a wealth of snarky comments about Prowl's changed appearance.

So far, Prowl was not enjoying the experience of having a tail. It dragged the ground, so he would raise it, but as he wasn't used to having a tail in the first place he'd forget to keep it up, and it would fall and become dirty as it was dragged through dirt and other ground litter.

While Prowl's organic form lacked sensors, his senses of hearing and smell were very well-developed. So much so that he was startled when he heard what sounded like one or two creatures coming his way. It would be ideal to hide. Humans might find his appearance startling, to say the least.

Prowl bounded up the nearest large tree, his claws helping him grip the rough bark. Soon, he was crouching on a branch hidden amidst the tree's thick leafy crown. The speed of his ascent surprised him. It would seem that this new body was capable of great nimbleness and equipped for climbing. Perhaps he was some species of feline.

Prowl's position afforded him clear view of the trail. He watched and waited, staying as still and silent as a statue. Sure enough, three beings soon came into view, nearing his location. One looked human - somewhat. He wore human clothing consisting of a long-sleeved black shirt, matching pants, and tan vest, over his muscular form, but instead of having a normal head, he had a skull. The two others with him were clearly not human either, but bipedal creatures who possessed animal features like himself. One was a dog, a pit bull terrier, and the other a fearsome-looking lynx. Both were dressed in formfitting black costumes bearing red and white highlights on the front. Stunned, Prowl could only stare at them. It had never occurred to him that he may not have been the only humanoid animal around.

When the trio was right below his tree, both "animals" (if he could call them that) halted, sniffing the air. Their cohort stopped to watch them. The lynx raised his head. His eyes locked on the spot where Prowl was concealed, and narrowed.

"Someone's up there."

'_Slag.'_ They'd picked up his scent. Prowl bit his lower lip, a sense of foreboding falling over him. These strangers made him uneasy, but he couldn't put a finger on why exactly.

"Whoever's up there, get down here now!" Skull-Head demanded. Prowl saw him reach for the sidearm hanging from his belt holster and raise it, aiming up at the tree. He heard a 'click' as the gun's tab dropped into position.

With a mental sigh, Prowl weighed his options. If he had still been Cybertronian and had his weapons, then he would've paid Skull-Head's threat little heed and simply hurled a throwing disk at his gun hand to disarm him. Human bullets couldn't harm a Cybertronian, after all. But they certainly could harm a flesh-and-blood body. He was not about to waste his second chance at life.

The tree's leaves rustled as Prowl reluctantly jumped down from his branch to a lower one, then leapt to the ground where he nearly fell as he landed on his feet, but recovered in time. Maintaining a calm demeanor, he faced the three. Skull-Head's hollow black eyes glared at Prowl from out of his sinister white face. It took Prowl a klik to realize that his face really wasn't a skull after all - he was just wearing a cowl designed to resemble a skull.

In contrast, the animals looked surprised. In fact, they were staring at him like he was insane, Prowl realized. What was so startling about his appearance? Then the pit bull, who he now realized was a femme, gave him a decidedly salacious grin. It occurred to Prowl that he had seen bots eyeing others who they'd taken a lustful interest in with that same look, and it made him even more uncomfortable. Still, in spite of his misgivings about the strange trio, he stepped forward, hands held out beseechingly. "Please, can any of you tell me where I am?" He was relieved to find that his voice was much the same as it'd been before, minus the electronic undertone.

"Silence, beast!" Skull-Head barked, his harsh voice cracking the stillness of the forest like a whip. "You are now prisoner of the Mahn Empire!"

If Skull-Head thought that Prowl would just quietly submit, then he was sorely mistaken. Even though Prowl was taken aback by the human's response to a perfectly polite question (as well as put off), he was already getting into a combat stance. "I am _no one's_ prisoner."

"Take him." Skull-Head commanded his cohorts. The hulking lynx charged. The wild cat pulled his lips back in a snarl to expose deadly white fangs. Claws that were at least seven inches long sprang from the lynx's fingertips like switchblades. That was… unexpected, but Prowl was hardly frightened. After going up against space barnacles, mutants, and all manner of Decepticons, it took a lot to alarm him now. He allowed his fighter's instincts and training to take over.

Prowl sidestepped, allowing the lynx to rush past him. The lynx wasn't slow by any means, twisting to the side to slash at Prowl before he could counterattack, but Prowl was faster still, weaving and ducking in order to evade those lethal claws. Deciding that close range combat was too dangerous, especially without a weapon of his own to counter the lynx's claws and because he was still getting used to his body, Prowl backed off, putting some space between him and the lynx.

As the two fighters circled one another, the lynx snarled and growled at Prowl the entire time. In turn, Prowl coolly regarded him, waiting for him to make the next move. He reminded Prowl of Megatron's lackey Lugnut: big, aggressive, and powerful. Hopefully he was prone to making dumb mistakes just like his Decepticon counterpart did too. Prowl was still aware of the presence of the pit bull and Skull-Head, and was prepared in case they wanted to jump in and help their friend. However, the both of them simply seemed more interested in watching the fight then anything.

When Prowl had maneuvered back in front of his tree, the lynx rushed him again, intending to pin him against the trunk. At the last second Prowl sprang to the side, feeling the lynx's claws rake the end of his tail. Thank Primus much of his tail was covered in long fur and the appendage itself was too thin to be injured.

Rebounding off the trunk of another tree, he came flying at the lynx, intending to catch him in the head with a kick. His blow never landed as the lynx sidestepped and swatted him out of the air, sending him crashing to the ground. Landing hard, Prowl grimaced. Looking up through pain-bleared eyes, he saw the lynx reaching down towards him, grinning sadistically. Suddenly, he howled in pain as Prowl's foot shot out and connected with his groin. As he staggered away, Prowl hopped back to his feet.

Intending to knock the cat out, Prowl started moving in for the (figurative) kill when he suddenly froze. For some reason, he was becoming dizzy. He shook his head, hoping the sensation would pass, but it only worsened. Something was wrong. Numbness was spreading throughout his body. He tried to step away, but his legs refused to obey. His limbs, which were steadily weakening, could no longer support his weight, and he swayed on his feet before falling heavily on his side, breathing hard as he struggled to fight the sudden tight pressure in his chest. It was like a giant invisible hand had gripped him and was squeezing. He struggled to make himself focus, but couldn't. The world around him had taken on a strange, almost dreamlike quality, blurry and moving in slow motion. He no longer knew where he was. He was only dimly aware of the pit bull standing over him before mercifully succumbing to unconsciousness.


	2. Stranger In A Strange Land

**CHAPTER TWO: STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND**

Prowl awoke with a start, looking around in confusion and alarm. Everything was dark. Beneath his prostrate body was a cool, hard surface. There were no familiar scents in the air. Memories finally started flooding back to him. He'd been returned to life as a humanoid animal of some kind and had been attacked by two similar creatures, as well as another one wearing a skull mask. To his great relief, he felt normal again. The last few minutes that he could actually recall before blacking out had been terrifying – it was as if he had lost control of his own body. It was almost like the time he had been infected by space barnacles and they forced him to turn on Sari and Bumblebee. He didn't know what had come over him, and hoped there was nothing wrong with him.

'_Stop it. Calm down.'_ The former Autobot scolded himself. He was an experienced cyberninja, not some protoform fresh off the assembly line.

His vision was already adjusting to the blackness surrounding him, and very soon he was able to see quite clearly. Well, it was safe to assume that his new species was nocturnal. Now he saw that he was inside a small, completely bare room. No doubt the handiwork of his attackers.

Prowl pondered his situation. There was no way he could possibly be on Earth, but he didn't know of any planet that was inhabited by bipedal animals. If this was Earth, then something incredible had happened. He didn't how long he had been dead for, so there was a very real possibility that he actually was in the future and human science had advanced enough to where they could create such creatures. Or perhaps he was in an entirely different dimension altogether. There were so many possibilities that it hurt his head to think of them all.

Something had been put around his neck. Curious, Prowl reached up to feel the object. A plastic collar? He tended to be good about keeping his emotions in check, but his jaw clenched upon making this discovery, cold anger radiating through him like an icy fire. Humans put collars on domestic animals to show their ownership of them, he knew. He may have looked like an animal now, but he was _not_ and would _never_ be somebody's pet.

"Don't mess with that collar, handsome. Or else your guts are gonna be decorating the walls, and that'd be a sad waste of male."

Looking up, Prowl found the pit bull from earlier watching him through a slot in the door. "How's that?" He coolly inquired.

"Not only does it block your powers, but it's also rigged to explode if you try to take it off or fiddle with it."

Prowl frowned – not just due to the possibility that he could've accidentally blown himself up just then, but because he had no clue what she was talking about when she brought up the word "powers". "Powers? What powers?" The only thing he had that could be considered a power was his ability to create holograms by using his holo-emitters, but that was when he had been a Transformer.

"You'll find out what I mean soon enough." There was a sudden ominous note in the dog's voice.

"No hints?"

She was silent for a moment. "Oh, let's just say that you're in for a real head trip."

Realizing that she was going to continue playing coy, he decided to change the topic. "Why have you and your friends captured me?"

"Since I like you, I'll give it to you straight. The masters are returning to reclaim this planet, and they need to build up their forces in order to do so. That's where folks like you and me come in. A friendly word of advice: accept the humans' offer and join them. I think a talented guy like you could do pretty well in their forces, especially if you turn out to be a hybrid like Wylde – that's the guy whose tail you kicked earlier - or me. They call me Seizure by the way." The pit bull winked at him before her light brown and white-furred face vanished from view, leaving Prowl alone with his thoughts again.

Humans? Humans were responsible for all of this? Prowl knew full-well that some humans weren't to be trusted, but why would they make these creatures fight and capture their own kind? He needed to see more of this world and find out what was going on.

Prowl made to stand, wincing at the stiffness in his body as he did. He'd never had this problem before when he had been made out of metal. Slowly making his way over to the door, an examination confirmed that it was locked from the outside. He then went onto carefully explore the rest of his cell. Finding no flaws in its design that could be turned to his advantage, he sighed. He was effectively at the mercy of his captors. Worse still, he was growing hungry. The last time he had actually refueled was back in Detroit prior to the big battle. It was probably the humans' intention to wear down his defenses. Logic dictated that they would probably bring him food at some point. After all, if they really did wish him dead, then they would've acted already instead of keeping him locked up.

Seizure's words returned to him. The humans wanted him for their forces so they could conquer this world. Why were some beings so fixated on dominating everyone and everything? Everything he'd seen and heard so far had not left Prowl with a positive impression of his captors. The idea of using processor over matter to free himself occurred to Prowl, but that ability might've been as lost to him as his holo-emitters were. After all, he no longer had a processor. An organic brain was a completely different beast. He supposed there was only one way to find out for certain. Lowering himself to the floor in a seated position, he rested his hands in his lap, placed his palms together, and shut his eyes. Gradually, his breathing grew slower and slower as he slipped into a meditative state. In spite of his intense concentration though, Prowl's attempts at utilizing processor over matter seemed in to be vain. It was frustrating to think how he had finally mastered the ability only to lose it.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed since he first started meditating, but a noise from behind him broke his concentration and made him tense up in spite of himself. Somebody was unlocking the cell door.

Two Skull-Heads that looked identical to the one who had been with Seizure and Wylde entered. The first one was carrying two metal dome-shaped objects that were slightly larger in size then a human hand, while the second had a gun out and pointed Prowl's way.

"Get up, beast." The Skull-Head standing closest to Prowl roughly growled. "You're coming with us. Hold out your hands, and don't even think of trying anything cute."

While the one in the back kept his gun trained on Prowl, the other stepped forward with the metal items. Prowl eyed them suspiciously, but reluctantly did as he was commanded. The objects were opened, placed around Prowl's hands, and clamped shut. They were handcuffs of some kind, Prowl realized as he wriggled his hands around as much as the confined interior of the cuffs would allow, which wasn't much.

He was led out of his cell, one Skull-Face on either side of him as he was made to walk down a labyrinth of halls which were harshly lit by fluorescent lighting. Prowl's gaze swept about his surroundings, trying to commit what he was seeing to memory in case he had to come through here during his escape. He'd already decided not to rest until he had gotten out of there. His guards said nothing. Prowl preferred their silence to constantly being called "beast" or some other demeaning name.

Soon, Prowl was bought to a large room of some kind. More humanoid animals were waiting there, four in total: a kangaroo rat, a chipmunk, a sheep, and a camel. None of them had on uniforms, or any kind of clothing for that matter. Like him, their hands were restrained. The camel, chipmunk, and sheep all briefly glanced his way when he was brought in before returning frightened eyes to the front of the room, where three more Skull-Faces were standing and doing their best to look intimidating. The only animal who didn't look terrified was the kangaroo rat, and that was because he seemed to be in a state of shock, his already large dark eyes wide but unseeing. He didn't react to Prowl's presence.

While Prowl's guards went to go stand together in the back of the room, a sixth Skull-Face entered the room and came to stand before the five animals. This one appeared to be a femme, the first one Prowl had seen. Her long red hair was bound in the back in a plait, and her gaze was hard as her black eyes took in Prowl and the others.

"What a pathetic bunch I see here today. In spite of that, the Mahn Empire has seen fit to give you miserable animals two options. Side with our cause, or become slaves. Which will it be?"

Fearful silence followed her declaration. The chipmunk was the first to step forward, his dark eyes brimming with tears. "I-I'll join you."

"Well?" The main Skull-Face looked expectantly at the rest of her audience. Hesitantly, the sheep raised a hoof-like hand into the air. "I -"

Watching these poor creatures being terrorized by these bullies sickened Prowl. "And what if I don't like either of those options?" He blurted out.

His blunt question earned him astounded stares from everyone present, even the Skull-Faces. It seemed like they had yet to run into the prisoner who would talk back to them. Finally though, the Skull-Face sneered at him. "What did you just say?"

Meeting her eyes, Prowl answered in a steady voice, "I've never heard of any so-called Mahn Empire before. I'm not about to join some group I don't know a thing about and already don't have a very high opinion of."

One of his guards aggressively strode towards him, fists raised and ready. Prowl braced himself to take the hit, but the head Skull-Face suddenly raised her hand. "Wait."

Her subordinate stopped and stared at her, but she waved him away and approached Prowl until the two of them were standing face-to-face. "You're bold, weasel. Bold, but stupid. We'll have to beat that defiance out of you."

The temptation to snap at his antagonist's face arose within Prowl – he knew he could've caused some serious damage if he had - but he resisted the urge. Instead he remained quiet, calmly matching the Skull-Face stare for stare.

After a full minute had passed with neither of them looking away from the other, Prowl could sense that she was actually smiling behind her cowl. "I look forward to personally breaking you." She motioned to the two Skull-Faces behind Prowl. "Remove him."

Prowl didn't utter a word as his guards started to drag him off, refusing to break eye contact with his nemesis.

* * *

The scream of alarms broke the silence which had dominated the prison complex, causing Prowl to stir from his sleep inside his cell. Someone had either just tried to escape or had escaped, most likely. Whoever they were, he wished them luck.

Apparently, due to his earlier insubordination they were withholding food from him. Since having been returned to his cell, he had been given nothing to eat or drink. He'd managed to ignore his complaining, empty stomach for the time being and fell asleep, tired after his long, terrible day. Before he did though he couldn't help wondering how long he could go without eating or drinking.

Raising his head, Prowl sleepily glanced towards the door as the alarms continued to sound. As he listened, he instantly became alert. Someone was standing right outside the door.

The sound of the lock being undone came easily to his ears. This could be his chance to escape. Rising into a slight crouch, Prowl waited, unmoving and silent. The door was pushed halfway open, allowing a line of red-tinted light to travel inside the cell. Prowl was careful to keep to the back, out of range of the light so that he wouldn't be seen. Seeing a figure standing there in the doorway, he launched himself at it, hoping to knock whoever it was out before they knew what hit them.

The occasional grunt was audible as they fought. He aimed a strike at his enemy's head, only to have it rapidly blocked. Most of his subsequent attempts to break past the person's defenses were unsuccessful, as his attacks kept being either countered or blocked. Although Prowl was too wrapped up in the heat of battle to take much notice of the other person's appearance, he did get the impression of white fur. He fought hard, but his foe had the advantage of not only being skilled enough to be something of a challenge for him, but more used to their organic body. They also had the edge in strength, because he was suddenly grabbed by the arm and bodily thrown aside. Using the momentum from the toss, Prowl instinctively rolled and came to his feet, ready to attack again.

"Wait, stop!" The figure cried out in a feminine voice. Whoever this femme was, she wasn't Seizure or the archnemesis he'd recently made among the Skull-Faces.

Taking a step back, Prowl regarded his opponent with surprise as she stepped into the cell with him. By all outer appearances, she seemed to be a… giant panda? He recalled seeing them at zoos and on television before, and they were popular with humans. The animals' black and white coloration made them very visually striking, but he definitely didn't remember seeing any with pink hair (but then again, it wasn't like he had seen any wearing clothing before either). The straight rose pink hair adorning the scalp of this particular panda was worn up in a high ponytail, and bangs framing her face. She was much slimmer then her four-legged counterparts as well. The costuming she was dressed in differed from that of his captors: it consisted of a scarlet short-sleeved top trimmed in black and black leggings. White bandages had been wound around her wrists and ankles. She wasn't as tall as he had first thought, only an inch shorter then he was. She was holding her hands up, palms facing outwards to show she was unarmed, though he could clearly see a sword hanging from her belt.

"It's alright." The panda said in a soothing tone. "I come as a friend." Her accent sounded vaguely familiar.

Somewhat ashamed he'd behaved so rashly, Prowl gave her a respectful bow of his head. "My apologies. I thought you were one of them – the skull-faced humans and their allies."

She smiled at him, a friendly, warm expression. "I don't blame you. I'd be jumpy too if I were in your place. Those skull-faced creatures are called Skull Hunters, and they're actually robots. I can tell you more later, but I'd really like to make sure you're not hurt first."

Robots? Prowl never would've guessed. These Skull Hunters were certainly a lot more sophisticated then the primitive models created and employed by humans like Professor Sumdac back in Detroit. He waved off her concern."Don't worry about me, I'm fine." He was hungry, but he'd live. He just wanted to leave.

The panda scrutinized him for a moment as though doubting his word, but finally nodded. "Well, let's go." Cautiously she peeked around the doorframe, then looked back at Prowl after a few seconds and motioned for him to follow.

Together, Prowl and the panda walked quietly down the hall. The alarm was still going off. He was very curious about his rescuer. On the back of her top he had noticed some sort of insignia that appeared to be a black stylized bird with outstretched wings. No doubt she was part of some faction and the bird served as their symbol. "Are you here alone?" He asked, careful to keep his voice lowered.

"No, my friends are here with me. We're breaking everyone out of this horrible place."

"So the other prisoners -?"

"Have been freed already, yes."

That was good news. None of them seemed like they'd be able last much longer.

"By the way, I'm called Pandamonium." She added.

'_Cute.'_ Prowl wryly thought, unable to keep from smirking a bit at the pun. Was it a codename or her actual name, he wondered? "Prowl."

"Excuse me?"

"My name is Prowl."

"Oh! Well, it's very nice to meet you, Prowl. I just wish it was under better circumstances."

"You and me both." Indeed, the idea of a world full of talking animals excited Prowl. He wanted to find out more about these creatures. Animals fascinated him immensely. It was silly, but back on Earth he had sometimes wondered what went on in their minds and what it would be like to be able to speak with them.

They went down another hall before coming upon a t-junction, one could just barely make out the sounds of battle to the left further ahead. Prowl glanced over at Pandamonium. "Your friends, I presume?"

Just as she began to answer, something warned Prowl that they were no longer alone. Spinning around, he saw a Skull Hunter behind them. The gun in his hand was aimed right at Pandamonium, who seemed to have frozen in fear as she stared at the gun.

Prowl hurled himself at her, knocking her to the side and out of the gun's discharge line. In that same moment, a shot rang out. Acting fast, Prowl leapt up and closed the gap between the Skull Hunter and himself. He latched onto the weapon, careful to stay out of its discharge line. They struggled fiercely before Prowl sharply twisted the robot's arm, forcing it to drop the gun before an uppercut to the jaw sent the Skull Hunter staggering back. Prowl followed up with a roundhouse kick to the Skull Hunter's chest, causing it to stumble back towards Pandamonium.

By then, Prowl's ally had recovered from her initial shock and was waiting, sword in hand. As the Skull Hunter landed before her, the blade swept downwards in a silver flash. The Skull Hunter's disembodied head rolled across the floor, hitting the wall with a metallic thud.

Prowl went over to join her, nodding at her handiwork. "Impressive. That looks like quite a blade you have there." He himself tended to use ranged weaponry rather than melee weapons, but swords were interesting. Pandamonium's looked like some kind of a straight sword and had a gold hilt, with ornamentations that looked like red gems.

"Thanks." As Pandamonium looked at him, her eyes grew wide, and her hand flew to her mouth. "You're bleeding!"

Startled and bewildered, Prowl glanced down at him. Blood was leaking from a small hole in the left side of his torso, right below his ribcage. Odd, he couldn't remember being shot. He hadn't felt a thing. As if his body was upset it had taken him so long to notice the wound, the pain seemed to automatically kick in, and Primus did it hurt. Clasping a hand over the bullet hole, he gritted his teeth and groaned.

Pandamonium was already by his side. "Try to stay calm. Everything will be fine." She reassured him, her voice low and comforting as she moved his hand aside to examine the injury.

But Prowl's head was swimming, and he was finding it difficult to remain on his feet. Right before passing out from both the pain and shock, he smiled weakly at the concerned panda. "It's happened again."

* * *

Well, in spite of his encounter with the Skull Hunters, being alive again had been nice while it'd lasted, Prowl thought. No doubt his organic body was lying dead somewhere now. He wondered how Yoketron and Primus would react to seeing him back in the Well of AllSparks.

There was a dull yet persistent pain behind his eyes. Now how could he have a headache if he no longer had a corporeal body? He opened his eyes to get a look at his surroundings, wondering whether he'd see the in-between place or the Well this time. The first things he made out were a ceiling and four white walls. In stark contrast to his prison cell, the surface underneath him felt soft. Prowl turned his gaze downwards to see that he was in a bed. Someone had also put clothing on him, a white T-shirt and light blue and white-striped pants of some sort. He seemed to be in a tidy little bedroom, not the afterlife, and he was still… whatever sort of animal he'd been transformed into. A familiar pink-haired figure sitting in a nearby chair reading caught his attention.

Looking genuinely pleased, Pandamonium sat her book aside. "Good, you're awake."

"Where are we?" Prowl asked as he sat up, noticing that she was no longer in costume, but a less ornate long-sleeved shirt and pants instead.

"At the home of a friend of mine's. We're safe here, don't worry."

Wondering why he was no longer in any pain from the gunshot, Prowl reached a hand beneath his shirt and ran his thin, long fingers over his ribcage, expecting to feel bandages there. But there were none. There was no wound either. "I don't understand – I would've sworn I'd been shot…" he trailed off, mystified.

"Oh you were, but we removed the bullet and I healed you."

Prowl's furry brow furrowed. What kind of technology did they have on this world to heal someone so quickly? "Healed me? With what?"

Pandamonium seemed a little hesitant to answer, but finally said, "This may be a little… startling to hear, but it is the truth. I healed you using my powers. I'm a hybrid."

There was that word again. Seizure had mentioned it earlier. She was a hybrid, and so was Pandamonium. It sounded a little similar to how Transformers had mods that could grant him or her a unique ability. Prowl decided to learn more about these so-called hybrids later on, but first things first. "I must thank you for saving my life - again. I don't know how to repay you."

"You're welcome, but it wasn't just me. My teammates helped too." Standing, she made her way over to the door. "Stay here, I'll be back. Do you want anything while I'm gone?"

Some answers as to where he was and what was going on? "No thank you. I'm fine." He presented her with a polite smile.

Once she left and shut the door behind her, Prowl climbed out of bed, taking care to move carefully due to his headache. In spite of their predominately animal features, apparently these creatures were similar to humans in that they preferred to cover themselves. He had never worn clothing before, the one time when a Decepticon, Soundwave, had duped him and the other Autobots into believing they'd been changed into humans not counting since it had been a trick. It was strange, having a layer of material between his body and the air. Until now, it hadn't occurred to him that he'd been nude when he had been returned to the land of the living. That was probably why Seizure and Wylde had stared at him so strangely when they first encountered him.

First, Prowl went over to the window and peered out. His host's home was far out in the middle of a rural area. A thin line of trees stood guard in front of the house. Further beyond the scattered patches of forest and spacious green pastures, he could make out the ghost of a city far off in the distance. He glanced away from the window. Spotting a mirror hanging on the wall, he took the opportunity to find out what the rest of him looked like.

A face whose features were very weasel-like inquisitively gazed back at him from the depths of the mirror. His ears were indeed pointed, and slightly larger than those of a weasel. His lower jaw was steel gray and his throat was the same shade of golden-yellow his upper chest was, but otherwise, the rest of the fur on his head and face was black. His optics – no, his eyes, Prowl reminded himself - were sky blue, just like they had been when he had been a Transformer. And best of all, no more collar. He strongly resembled an animal he'd only seen in pictures. It was called a marten, a small arboreal creature that lived in Earth's forested regions.

"Well hello there."

So fascinated had Prowl been with his appearance that he failed to realize he had company. Whirling around, he found himself not only facing Pandamonium, but a somewhat unusual-looking rabbit and an ermine who was entirely pink. Honestly, Prowl didn't even know why he continued to be surprised by anything he saw here anymore.

The rabbit was red, with cream-colored forearms, muzzle, and chest, as the lavender blouse she was wearing was rather low-cut. "You gave us a real scare there, ya know." She continued in a casual tone of voice like she'd known him all his life. Prowl was surprised to see that each of her eyes were a fiery gold and devoid of pupils. What type of rabbit was she?

The bizarrely-colored ermine, a dainty little femme, spoke up in an almost childlike voice, "Thank you for saving my friend's life."

Prowl glanced over at Pandamonium before giving a nod of acknowledgment to the ermine. Humans characterized her species and other similar animals as sneaky and sinister, but his first impression of her was of a very gentle, somewhat timid creature. "I'd like to think that anyone would do what I did in that situation. Thank you all for giving me shelter."

"Well said. No one here would disagree with that." That was the rabbit again. "So whereabouts do you come from, Prowl?"

"Detroit." That seemed like the best answer to give. It technically wasn't a lie after all. He had a feeling that trying to explain Cybertron to them would not be the wisest course of action.

His response caused the three to share puzzled glances among themselves. Vainly hoping he wouldn't be questioned further about his origins, Prowl decided to pose a question of his own to them. "What is the name of this place?"

"We're outside Lost Angels, Acrimea." Pandamonium answered.

Neither name was familiar to him. At this point, Prowl was certain he was no longer on Earth, but knew that to come out and directly ask if he was would only make him look suspicious, insane, or both. After all, his was quite the outrageous tale. He didn't wish to alarm his potential new allies.

When Prowl's stomach suddenly rumbled loudly, he shifted awkwardly on his feet. There was still the matter of feeding himself. He didn't want to discover what might happen if he continued to go without sustenance. He'd already noticed that, aside from his headache, his energy levels also seemed to have dropped off significantly.

"You hungry? Because I can whip something up for you." The rabbit cheerfully offered. Prowl noticed Pandamonium and the ermine discreetly send one another appalled glances, but the significance of their exchange was lost on him. He was just grateful for the rabbit's offer.

"Thank you. I don't suppose you have any vegetable-based fuels? I don't care for meat."

Prowl's statement earned him more confused stares.

"You mean you don't eat meat?" The ermine incredulously asked, her shyness seemingly gone for the moment.

"I would prefer not to." He simply answered. He supposed that a marten who didn't consume flesh did seem like an oddity. With several different animals all apparently living under one roof in this home, then surely they must have had plant-based fuels available as well as meat-based ones. He'd seen sentient livestock species on this world, like the sheep who'd also been a prisoner of the humans – surely they weren't still eaten. That was a horrifying thought.

"That's fine." The rabbit assured him, all smiles once again after getting over her astonishment. "I can do vegetarian too."


End file.
